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File Name | S22-Policy-NCFCA-09-AFF-ClemencyBoard.docx |
File Size | 87.03 KB |
Date added | September 20, 2021 |
Category | Policy (NCFCA) |
Author | Jonathan T. Helton |
Resolved: The United States Federal Government should significantly reform its policies regarding convicted prisoners under federal jurisdiction
This case creates a federal clemency board to replace the current clemency review process. The current process, overseen by the Dept. of Justice, is prone to conflict of interest and is extremely slow, which is why there is currently a massive backlog of clemency applications. Most states use a board to review clemency applications; such boards have fewer conflicts of interest and approve more clemency petitions. Examples from the States show increased clemency is good, but the best evidence is that we already have a successful plan model at the federal level. Pres. Gerald Ford, in 1974, created a one-year Presidential Clemency Board to review the myriad of cases arising out of problems in the military during the Vietnam War. They bypassed the Justice Department, reviewed the cases quickly and efficiently, made recommendations to Pres. Ford, and he granted thousands of applications for clemency to those deserving. This experiment was successful, very low-cost, but unfortunately terminated after its mandate ran out one year later. Experts say we should do the same thing again as a regular matter of public policy for dealing with federal crime.